Veteran’s Administration – Frequently Asked Questions (click here for printer friendly)
Will VA pay secondary to Medicare, Medicare Advantage or other Commercial Health Plans?
No. You may not use your Veteran’s Administration Health Plan in conjunction with another health insurance. You must choose one or the other to pay for your services.
What if my Emergency Room is not covered by my Veteran’s Administration Health Plan?
If your ER visit is denied by VA, we would be happy to submit a claim to any other health insurance you may have. Please notify us immediately of any other health insurance you may have in order for us to submit a claim. If you do not have another health insurance, any denied claim will become your financial responsibility.
Does VA require authorization for services provided?
VA requires prior authorization for all services except for the Emergency Room. Emergency Room visits require a faxed notification by the hospital within 24 hours.
Will Veteran’s Administration pay for an Inpatient Stay in a Non-VA Hospital?
VA will possibly cover a stay in a Non-VA Hospital if there are no beds available in a VA Hospital in the State and the treatment is for a service related condition.
In the event your Emergency Room Provider feels an Inpatient stay is necessary, a call will be placed to the Veteran’s Administration to see if there are any beds available in a VA facility in Arizona that you can be transferred to. If there are no bed’s available, a request will be made for coverage by VA for your stay at Wickenburg Community Hospital. A call will be placed to the VA on a daily basis during your stay by the Hospital Case Manager or Nurse in order to see if there is a bed that has become available for you to be transferred to.
This does not guarantee payment by Veteran’s Administration. VA processes and pays claims on an individual case basis. If your Inpatient stay is denied by VA, we would be happy to submit a claim to any other health insurance you may have.
How long does it take to find out if my stay has been covered?
On average, it takes approximately 45 days for the VA to process a claim and notify you whether the stay is approved or denied.